The email cited “several incidents” of problematic results, including “an individual placing feces in the hallway.”

Reported the blog, “EPA management ‘consulted’ with workplace violence ‘national expert’ John Nicoletti, who said that hallway feces is in fact a health and safety risk.”

Deputy Regional Administrator Howard Cantor wrote, “Management is taking this situation very seriously and will take whatever actions are necessary to identify and prosecute these individuals.”

To the Government Executive, EPA spokesman Richard Mylott said, “EPA cannot comment on ongoing personnel matters. EPA’s actions in response to recent workplace issues have been deliberate and have focused on ensuring a safe work environment for our employees. Our brief consultation with Dr. Nicoletti on this matter, a resource who regularly provides our office with training and expertise on workplace issues, reflects our commitment to securing a safe workplace.”

At the Global Warming blog, which frequently is at odds with the EPA over the so-called global warming epidemic, author William Yeatman noted it’s not the first episode of misbehavior at the agency.

“First, we learned that EPA brass repeatedly promoted a fake spy who had been defrauding the agency for a decade. Then, the inspector general reported that an EPA employee received bonuses, despite having been caught watching 2-6 hours of porn a day.”

The latest, however, proved the “biggest outrage of them all,” the blog said.

The actions that created the controversy are “disgusting and terrible,” the blog said, “but it’s not even the most revelatory aspect of this sordid tale.”

“Evidently, leadership at EPA Region 8 was flummoxed as to how to address this poop-perpetrator (poopetrator?) matter, so it consulted with … Nicoletti.”

“Only upon receiving the esteemed Mr. Nicoletti’s advice – that poop in the hallways is a health hazard – did the powers that be at EPA Region 8 swoop into action, and send an all staff email. I can’t imagine a less impressive managerial response.”